Conditional Sentences
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Transcript of Conditional Sentences
• They describe the result of something that might happen (in the present or future) or might have happened but didn't (in the past)
• What could happen, what might have happened, and what we wish would happen
4 Main Types
1. Zero - if + present simple, ... present simple
2. First - if + present simple, ... will + infinitive
3. Second - if + past simple, ... would + infinitive
4. Third - if + past perfect, ... would + have + past participle
** Mixed
The Zero Conditional
• Used when the result will always happen (facts)
If + present simple,.... present simple
Example :
• If water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.
• People die if they don't eat.
Inversion: The 'if' in this conditional can usually be replaced by 'when' without changing the meaning.
Example:
• When water reaches 100 degrees, it boils.
The First Conditional
• the future possible/real conditional
• Used to talk about things which might happen in the future.
If + present simple, ... will + infinitive
• Example:
• If I see her, I'll tell her.
• If I have enough money, I'll buy some new shoes.
• If you sit in the sun, you'll get burned
o Zero VS First : The first conditional describes a particular situation but the zero conditional describes what happens in general.
Inversion
can contain 'going to' or the future perfect as well as 'will'.
Example :
• If I see him, I'm going to tell him exactly how angry I am.
can also contain other modal verbs such as 'can' and 'must'.
Example :
• If you go to New York, you must have the cheesecake in Lindy's.
• If he comes, you can get a lift home with him.
The Second Conditional
if + past simple, ... would + infinitive
1. Talk about things that are unlikely (improbable) or impossible to happen now or anytime
Examples:
• If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.(I probably won't win the lottery)
• If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
• She would travel all over the world if she were rich
2. Giving advice in the form 'If I were you'
Examples:
• If I were you, I'd look for a new place to live.
• If I were you, I'd go back to school and get more qualifications.
**We can use 'were' instead of 'was' with 'I' and 'he/she/it'. This is mostly done in formal writing
Example:
• If she were happy in her job, she wouldn't be looking for another one.
**Sometimes, we use should, could or might (modal verbs) instead of would
Example:
• If I won a million dollars, I could stop working.
• If I won the lottery, I might donate some of it to charity.
** Difference between first and second is second is a lot more unlikely to happen
Inversion: Use ‘Were’ instead of if clause
Examples:
• If she were older, it would be betterWere she older, it would be better
• If I met the Queen of England, I would say hello.
Were I to meet the Queen of England,…….
The Third Conditional
if + past perfect, ... would + perfect
1. Talk about things that didn't happen in the past
2. Show regrets no possibility
Examples:
• If she had studied, she would have passed the exam.
• If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick.
• If we had taken a taxi, we wouldn't have missed the plane
**Sometimes, we use should have, could have, might have instead of would have
Example:
• If you had bought a lottery ticket, you might have won.
Inversion: Use ‘Had’ instead of if clause
Examples:
• Had she studied, she would have passed the exam.
• Had I not eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick. NO contracted forms
The Mixed Conditional
1. Refer to a condition in the past and its ongoing result in the present
If + Past Perfect….would + infinitiveIf this thing had happened, that thing would happen
Examples:
• If I had worked harder at school, I would have a better job now
• If we had looked at the map we wouldn't be lost